Live Interview

Audio (Russian Only)

Transcript

K: Jazz For Peace band held a jazz benefit concert for us in New Jersey . It had a very warm atmosphere. The band played very cool basanova and jazz, and though there were not many people there, everyone enjoyed the concert. Also, last Sunday in Dom Kultury a bard song concert was held where all our friends - about 70 people, - gathered. We raised over $780 at that event.

J: Wonderful, wonderful! When you say "our friends" do you mean those who have already contributed to the Fund?

K: Well, there were people who simply liked bard songs. The concert was not broadly announced in newspapers, and news was spread through friends mostly. The establishers of Garmoshka club, who are good friends of mine, organized the concert.

J: OK, now let me ask you to tell us a few words about the Fund itself. For instance, you say that you raised about $800 at the concert. What is it going to be used for and how do you, as the Fund's President, control use of this money?

K: Well, firstly, there is a very unique thing about our Fund - 100% of the money raised at the concert goes directly to a specific project being run in Russia . How I control use of this money is very simple. Almost all the people who work with our Fund including me are volunteers. I pay for all those small expenses that the Fund requires with my savings. Therefore, 100% of the money from any fundraising event we hold goes directly to the needs of a specific project. A second unique thing about our Fund is that, from its very beginning, it has been run as an absolutely transparent organization. Anyone can go to our webpage (www.iOrphan.org/ru or www.sirotka.com) and find out all the details (the pictures, receipts, thank you letters, newspaper articles, etc.) of every project we have completed.

J: So that's www.iOrphan.org/ru or www.sirotka.com. One more question, please: How did you, as a well-to-do, successful man, who does not seem to have experienced many troubles, decide to start this project? How did the decision to help orphans in faraway Russia come to you? Thank you.

K: Firstly, I have actually had contact with this problem. When I was very young, maybe 12 years old, I was a part of Malchisc h c lub - I am from Vladivostok City myself - and we helped and held concerts at various orphanages. Then, at the age of 14 I was invited to an expedition called Tropa , which was organized by volunteers in Caucasus. They had gathered the most difficult children from Russian orphanage homes and had a 3-months-long expedition for them. At the time of my participation, they were building a path between Armenia and Georgia. They invited me as a survival expert and potential leader. I have both parents and good family and lots of wilderness survival experience. It was interesting to observe those children. There were more children then adults to look after them, only about 3 adults and 50 children. So the children were basically doing everything by themselves and were communicating with each other. They leared such essential values as trust and friendship. What is a difficult child anyway? Usually it is a potential leader. Those children who had learnt new values turned life in their orphanage homes around once they returned. They became real leaders and taught their new values to others. See more details.

J: Well, what a unique and interesting case indeed! Could you, please, briefly summarize the projects your Fund currently runs - do you have any educational programs? Do you build homes, or do anything else?

K: In St. Petersburg I work with Nadezhda commune. We have raised money for them to set up electricity because their buildings still do not have enough of it - if you were to have light in one room you would have to turn it off in another room. That required us to spend about $6000.

J: Can you imagine? That is in modern St. Petersburg! And how many people live there?

K: Well, the commune has several parts to it. This particular one was in Karelia, so it was not in St. Petersburg itself. About 12 difficult children live there permanently, and summer camps in which over 50 more children come are organized. We've also given them a water supply system. They used to bring water in casks. Also, we built them a barn and a corral and purchased them some more live cattle. On that project we spent over $4000. In fact, this autumn I am going to go to St.Petersburg again - I've just returned from there - to see the projects' results.

J: How much traveling does being the Fund's President require?

K: Not very much, as there is not such a necessity. Usually people learn about our projects, trust the detailed information we provide and give money. As our budget is quite transparent questions arise very rarely, though I do always try to have personal contacts with our donors.

J: Let me remind you of the Fund's web-address. Kirill, could you please tell us how many orphans there are in Russia and what percentage of them have access to the money of various Charity Funds?

K: Unfortunately, the statistics are really terrible - according to the year 2002 data there are over 4 million orphans and homeless children currently living in Russia . Probably the real number is larger. The worst thing is that only 1 out of 10 former orphans manages to adjust to a normal life, to build a family and get a job. The remaining 9 usually go into crime and prostitution. 1 out of 10 commits suicide within a year after leaving his orphanage.

J: That's a terrible number. Let me reiterate your web-page address again for those who would like to make a personal contribution to the Fund's work. What is the most common reason for the appearance of orphans? Do their parents die due to various social disturbances or ... What is your view on this?

K: Actually, many Russian orphans have families. They are social orphans, children whose parents have been deprived of their parental rights, usually as a result of drug or alcohol abuse. The number of suc h c hildren is extremely large and it is a big concern, though homeless children are even more of a problem.

J: That is so sad. So, currently Russia is in a condition similar to how it was after the October Revolution, when the country was flooded by homeless children! At that time the problem was solved by the means of Command and Administration system methods, as well as others. Does the Russian government support orphans now? If so, how? Or does it leave this problem to charities?

K: Well of course they do something. But it will take them long time to make a difference going at the same slow pace as they usually do. In fact, I have noticed differences myself during my years of work so far. For example, orphanages that once had problems with food now do not usually have problems at this level. The government has increased the amount of money spent on orphans and does its best to encourage Russian families to adopt orphans because most of the Russian children are being adopted abroad. Having various subsidies for Russian families willing to adopt orphans - and there are many families like that - can really be helpful. It is just that most of those families that have a strong desire to adopt an orphan live in poverty themselves and cannot afford having a child. Supporting such families could be really helpful.

J: Are there any Funds in Russia , similar to Foster's Fund, that receive considerable financial support from the Government for assisting these families?

K: Yes. First of all, subsidy amount for families adopting orphans has been recently increased. Many non-governmental structures that are trying to solve this problem exist in Russia. For instance, during my visit to Vladivostok I earned about such a Fund whose programs are very progressive and successful. Hopefully, work that we have started together can serve as a model for others. They have received former military base territory from local government and we are helping them to build a family commune for orphans.

J: It is a very interesting idea. Now, before we part with Kirill I would like to mention one unusual aspect of his activities. Before he started this Fund with his own money, Kirill was a prosperous businessman. But he is also a good dancer. Please, tell us how this hobby of yours is helpful in your job as President of the Fund.

K: It is extremely helpful! I do not think that fundraising is all about boring tuxedos and balls. Living in Maui , Hawaii, I organize regular live Latin dance fundraiser parties where over 200 people come and where we raise over $2000. sometimes, musicians play even for free. Also, I have started to organize a very unique fundraiser event that no one has ever done before - Salsa Congress in Maui. 4 days and 5 nights. All profits benefit orphans. Details can be found on our web-page www.iOrphan.org/ru or on www.mauisalsa.com . I have invited two professional salsa dancers' teams from Canada . They agreed to participate.

J: Ha-ha, it's good they're not from Greenland . Salsa from Canada ! Ha-ha

K: Yea, they participate in this event voluntarily. I pay for their round-trip tickets. They stay at my place. As a matter of fact, many people would eagerly work as volunteers in this event.

J: Well, I would like to wish you the best of luck with this wonderful project and in all of the projects that your Fund Ascent runs! Let me remind you that today Kirill Bogouslavski, Ascent Foundation President, who devoted a considerable part of his life and savings to helping and supporting Russian orphans, was our guest speaker. If you would like to contribute, please, go to www.iOrphan.org/ru. We hope to talk to you soon, Kirill. There is no doubt that Kirill, a person with such a positive attitude, succeeds in all his undertakings. Thank you very much, Kirill!